Where Are The Flowers
by Flaming Fudge
Summary: This is the story on how the Ents lost their Entwives and rediscovered them.
1. Default Chapter

This is a story based on Tolkien's Ents from LOTRs. This is how the Ents found their Entwives.

Where are the Flowers?

            It is a long, sad story: the story of the Entwives. Their ideals were so different from the Ents. These tree people couldn't understand each other. The Entwives wanted order. They wanted to control the growing things. They would talk to the grasses, the flowers, and the flowering trees, but they chose not to listen to them. They simply ordered them to grow. Grow in the way that _they instructed. _

Stubborn though they were, they were beautiful creatures. The maidens had long flowing hair that seemed to be made of vines and leaves. In the spring there hair would be full of flowers. They were long and graceful and loved to dance in little clearings with the sun glistening on their skin. With cheeks rosy and red, they would sing songs fairer than any bird that dwelled in the forest with them.

            The Ents on the other hand, were tall proud creatures that loved the wild trees of the forest. They would speak to them and care for them. All day they spent their time shepherding the forest, for that was what they were: tree shepherds. Little care did they have for anything else. They loved to drink from the rivers and eat of the fruit that the trees left as gifts for them. They would love to sit and sing to the trees and watch the trees sway and dance for them. They were strong, much stronger than any man or elf. They were as tall as many of the trees that they herded. They ignored the desires of the Entwives to leave the forest and be with other growing things. They pretended not to notice when the Entwives would talk to the grasses and the flowers outside of the forest. They chose to block out the looks of joy that the wives got from whispering to the herbs that grew on the ground.

            Among the fairest of the Entwives was Wandlimb the lightfooted. She was tall and fair. In the spring she had peach little flowers in her hair. With long delicate fingers she would tend to the lesser trees of the forest. She was loved by the Ents and Entwives alike. She had a strong heart and all the younger Entmaidens would follow her. She would lead them to cherry trees that grew in a clearing or show them the delicate flowers that grew just outside the forest. Many Ents longed to court her, but she only had eyes for Treebeard.

            Treebeard was also a leader to the Ents and was respected very much. He too loved Wandlimb. They were married much to everyone's joy. They lived many years together in the forest with much love and happiness. 

            However, the Entwives were becoming restless. They would wander farther from the forest. They would spend more and more time in the fields. The Ents continued wandering though. They didn't make the wives follow. 

            Wandlimb was worried. She did not like separating from Treebeard. She had to convince him to speak to the other Ents. This could only be resolved with an Entmoot, a gathering of the Ents. Entmoots were only for very serious situations.

           Wandlimb wandered through the forest calling for Treebeard. She found him sitting on a large stone in a little clearing. 

            "Treebeard." She whispered for he seemed deep in thought. "Treebeard" she said a little louder. He sat up slowly. He seemed to be awakening. Ents have been called by many creatures "slow" for they took time to do or say anything of importance. He did not answer right away. He simply looked up at her. He seemed to be drinking her in.

            "Hello Fimbrethil" he finally muttered drowsily. "Have you decided to come and listen to the forest with me finally?" he looked up at her hopefully with love in his eyes. Wandlimb felt guilty. She did not care for the poems of the woods. 

            "I'm sorry Fangorn, I have not." She took his hand. "I wanted to speak with you about the Entwives."

            "The Entwives?" he stared down at his feet. "I wonder… What is wrong with the Entwives?"

            "You chose to ignore the problem then?"

            "What problem do you …" he trailed off and seemed to be asleep again. Wandlimb waited. After a few minutes Treebeard lifted his head. "…do you speak of?"

            "We must have an Entmoot."

            "An Entmoot!" 

            "Yes, an Entmoot."

            "It is that serious then, this _problem_."

            "Yes, I demand that you speak with the council."

            "Demand? Hm, hoom!" he seemed startled. Never has Wandlimb demanded anything of him except love. "What is this problem that you _demand_ me to have an Entmoot?"

            "The problems of the Entwives! How can you sit and pretend that nothing is wrong?" Treebeard stared at his feet again. "You know that we spend too much time apart. You Ents are not compromising. The Entmaidens are becoming restless!"

            "We _Ents are not compromising?"_

            "Yes! We Entwives want to be out of the Forest!" The trees groaned all around them. "We want order! We want to speak to the flowers and to the apple trees. We want to live together instead of wandering. We want to be in control of things!" Wandlimb stopped suddenly. She had not said so many words together and so quickly before. She felt almost out of breath.

            "Yes!" Treebeard said and stood. He looked down at Wandlimb. He was much taller than her. "Yes Fimbrethil, you want control!" Wandlimb's cheeks reddened. 

            "Fine Fangorn! You have brought this on yourself!"

            "_Burarum!" Treebeard guttered._

            Wandlimb turned and stormed, if you could say that an Ent stormed, out of the clearing. The Entwives would now take matters into their own hands. 

            And thus began the separation.


	2. The Gardens

The first step of separation is often subtle…

CHAPTER TWO: THE GARDENS

Wandlimb had never openly defied Treebeard. "Why does Fangorn have to be so stubborn?" she thought aloud. They called each other by their Elvin names. They had always loved the Elvin language. She glided through the trees until she found some of the elder Entwives tending to flowers that grew by a little stream.

"Why hellooo…" sang one of the Entwives. Lightleaf was her name. She was the oldest and was believed by most Ents to be the wisest Entwife. "Why do you look so ruffled my dear?"

"Haven't you noticed how the Entwives are separating from the Ents?" asked Wandlimb.

"Hm, why yes, I have." She reached out a long graceful finger to caress a flower. "Is that what has you so upset my dear?"

"Well, yes and no…" she trailed off. She didn't want Lightleaf to know that she had had a fight with Treebeard. "I… I just want us Entwives to have a place of our own. The Ents seem pleased to wander endlessly through the forest. There is no order. There is no peace. If we follow, none of the living things that we have tended before will be tended again."

"Oh, slow down my dear. You are quite upset. Have a drink from the stream." She beckoned Wandlimb to the water. "We elder Entwives have just been discussing this."

"What have you discussed?"

"Why, what to do about it, of course." She said matter-of-factly. "What else would we discuss?"

"What have you decided?"

"Gardens." 

"Pardon me?"

"The Entwives need gardens." Lightleaf gingerly pulled a weed that was among the flowers. "If the Ents want to wander, let them wander. We will stay here, in our gardens. They will come visit us if they want us. They care more for the trees than us Entwives anyways."

"We will separate from the Ents?" Wandlimb asked. She was fairly upset with this idea.

"My dear, we are already separated. We love different plants. We love different trees. We love different places. They are uncompromising. If we stay here in the gardens, they will not have to bother with us and we will not have to bother with them."

"But, I love Treebeard…"

"And I love Greyshroud. If _they love __us, they will visit." She reached out and touched Wandlimb's arm. "Do you understand?" Wandlimb fought within herself. What was more important to her, Treebeard or a garden? __Oh, it would be wonderful to have a garden, she thought. She could tend to all her favorite plants without leaving them to be with Treebeard. Maybe Lightleaf was right. If Treebeard loved her he would visit. _

"The Ents already do not care. I talked to Treebeard. The Ents will do nothing to fix the problem. I guess it is up to us. Alright, I agree with this garden plan." 

"Oh, good…" Lightleaf smiled and handed her a seed. "Then we will start."

~ ~ ~

Treebeard got up from his stone. He had thought much about what Wandlimb had asked him. He knew she was angry. However, the Entwives' minds were already closed. He knew that they would plan their own thing. They would not listen to the Ents even if there would be an Entmoot. He loved Wandlimb very much but she was too headstrong. All the Entwives were. What could he do? He could only wait. Wait for the Entwives to devise some plan to separate from the Ents. Somehow he knew it would only end in heartache.

He walked through the Forest. He was too deep in thought to listen to the voices of the trees. He walked for many strides. Finally he came to a favorite clearing of Wandlimb's. He did not see her anywhere. He walked over to a little tree that she liked to tend. It stood in the middle of the clearing. It was full grown and yet it only reached up to his knee. He bent down and whispered to it. It seemed to sing. It had a high little voice that reminded him of a squirrel or chipmunk. He liked its voice very much. This was the only plant that Wandlimb would come back to, no matter where they went together in the forest. He looked at the ground next to the tree. He saw finger marks in the ground where Wandlimb had been digging. "She must have been here recently." he said. He stood and continued his search for Wandlimb. 

_Earth and seed_

_Grass and weed_

_The light and the sun_

_The garden has begun_

_The garden has begun…_

_To grow and to rest_

_Is what we love best_

_To see flowers in a row_

_Our own seeds we will sow _

_Our own seeds we will sow…_

Treebeard turned. It was the Entwives voices he heard singing. "A garden?" he said in amazement. He walked toward the voices he came to a little stream. Entwives were all along the other side of the stream. They were collecting water, tilling the soil, planting seeds and doing all sorts of gardening work. None of the Entwives looked up at him as he came to the edge of the stream. "_Burarum_!" He made a deep guttural noise of anger. "What are you Entwives up to!" 

Lightleaf came to the other side of the stream. "We are planting a garden. We will no longer wander through the woods doing only as you Ents please. We are going to live in one place, live in peace…"

"Hm, what? I can't believe you will separate us in this way!

"There are far worse ways!" replied Lightleaf. "You separate yourselves from us as much as you want. We aren't going anywhere!"

Treebeard searched for his wife. Suddenly Wandlimb came to the edge of the water with a giant bowl to collect water. Treebeard called to her. Startled Wandlimb dropped her bowl and stood up quickly. 

"Wandlimb, how could…" he trailed off. He was too hurt to say anything more to her. 

"How could she not." Said Lightleaf. "You told her you were unwilling to help the situation so we helped ourselves. You are as much to blame as any of us."

Treebeard turned. He knew she was right about that. Treebeard had done nothing. What could he do? What could anyone do? But why did it have to be _this way. _

Treebeard had an idea. He turned to walk away. "Fangorn!" Treebeard heard his wife call. He turned to look at her. "Please… I'm sorry…" Treebeard held out a hand to her. She looked at him, then with tears in her eyes, she bent down and picked up her bowl and sang:

_Our own seeds we will grow_

_Our own seeds we will grow…_

I wonder what Treebeard's idea is. Maybe it will work. I kind of feel sad.


	3. An Entmoot Afterall

I did write that last song. It wasn't from the book. However I try to stick with the book as much as possible. In the book when Treebeard meets the hobbits, he says that they remind him of something that he couldn't remember but he liked it. According to my story, Wandlimbs tree is what the hobbit's voices remind Treebeard of. 

An Entmoot After all

            Treebeard walked quietly through the forest. He could not believe that Wandlimb had chosen a garden over him. This needed to be discussed by the Ents. The Entwives must have been already planning this for sometime. At least the elder Entwives had been planning it. It was only this morning that Wandlimb had spoken to him. She certainly rushed into this decision. _It must have been a matter of great importance to her,_ he thought. _How could I not have seen it?_

Treebeard continued to walk through the forest for quite some time. As he walked he began summoning the other Ents. "Hoom, hom"_, _he called. In the distance he heard "hoom, hom, hoom" in reply to his call. 

The sun had already started to set by the time he reached his destination. He walked into a small clearing. In the center stood a moss covered stone. Here the Ents started to gather. Treebeard cleared his throat and began to address the Ents.

"My friends, have we all arrived? Is everyone here?" He scanned the Ents to see if any faces were missing. 

"Yes Treebeard." said a low, almost inaudible voice. "We are all here." It was the voice of Leaflock, one of Treebeard's old friends. 

"Have you noticed that your Entwives have not rejoined you tonight?" Treebeard asked. Every one mumbled a "yes" in response. "I know where they are." Every one stared at Treebeard with a questioning look. 

"You have seen them?" asked Leaflock. "Including Treestar?" 

"Why yes." He replied. "I do believe I saw her there." The Ents all began to ask if had seen their Entwives there. "Hm, hoom. Now let's not be too hasty. I do believe I saw all the Entwives there, daughters, mothers, and even maids. I do believe there were Entings too." 

"And where did you see them Treebeard? I am curious to know." Asked a younger Ent. 

"I saw them… They were… growing a garden." Answered Treebeard. He was a little irritated with the young Ent for hurrying him so. It was not the young Ents place.

"Why were they growing a garden?" The young Ent asked again.

"Hm, boy. They wanted order." He sniffed, hinting his displeasure to the lad.

"What? Order? What do you mean?" the lad asked, not catching the hint. However, Leaflock had caught Treebeard's tone and placed a hand on the young Ent's shoulder. 

"Don't forget your place boy." He whispered in the young Ent's ear. The lad's cheeks reddened but he said nothing more.

"Just this morning, my Wandlimb came to talk to me. She told me that there was a problem. The Entwives were becoming restless. They were tired of wandering. They wanted to stay in one place."

"One place?" asked an Ent. "How can we stay in one place? That would mean we could only tend to a small part of the forest."

"Yes!" agreed another Ent. "Who has ever heard of an Ent staying in one part of the forest? A shepherd must care for his whole flock, not just a select few!"

"I do not believe the Entwives care for shepherding the forest as we do." Answered Treebeard. "They have made gardens were they feel they are in charge. Where they have some control in their lives. I've always noticed how Fimbrethil has always cared for flowers. Perhaps they are moved by different growing things." 

"Those Entwives are stubborn! I want to march down and take back my Entwife. We have been much too lenient, do you not agree?" said another Ent. The Ents began to argue among themselves. Treebeard held up his hands and called for silence.

"Do you not see that we have already been divided? We must stick together lest we be divided even more!" The Ents looked thoughtfully at Treebeard.

"What would you have us do?" asked Leaflock. "We can't just leave them there, can we?"

"Yes we can." Answered Treebeard. Many Ents gasped at this idea. "Here is how I see things. The Entwives _do have a valid point. I do not agree with their garden idea, but they do have a right to their opinion on how to live their lives. I say we should let them have their gardens. The Entwives do not sit and listen to the forest with us anyways. They do not shepherd the forest as we do. Their hearts are not in the forest. If we let them have their gardens, we can visit whenever we want. We can spend time with them as much as we choose. However, they can come spend time with us as well. It is a compromise between the two. Things will change yes, but this way every one will be able to have something that they wanted."_

"We will also lose something that we want." replied Leaflock. "I love Treestar. I love to spend time with her. She would come and sit at my feet when I sang to the forest. We were not so separated. I do not like the idea of living in a separate home from her."

"Your Entwife has chosen which path she will take… hm… If she truly loved sitting with you in the forest, then she will continue doing so." answered Treebeard with some difficulty. He did not like the idea of living in a different home from Wandlimb either. He could understand his friend's pain. However, the Entwives would only continue to separate themselves in some other, more devastating way if the Ents kept them from their gardens. "What say you?" Treebeard asked an older Ent named Skinbark.

"I… I really don't know…" he stuttered. Skinbark was a gentle creature who did not like confrontation. "I suppose you're right Treebeard. You usually are." The Ents all nodded in agreement.

"I want this decision to be everyone's! I want everyone to agree with this decision. And you must know there is no guarantee that we won't be estranged even more. But that is a risk, I think we must take. Do you all agree?" The Ents all gave a hearty "agreed."

"Very good… hm. Yes very good." replied Treebeard. "Shall we go tell the Entwives our plan?" in response, all the Ents gathered behind Treebeard and he began to lead them down to the gardens. 


	4. The Anger that Develops

                                                              The Anger that Develops

            Treebeard led the Ents down to the little stream. The Entwives garden was already full of little sprouts and flowers. The Entwives were not at the stream however. Treebeard led the Ents across the stream. They came across a strange, makeshift hose. It was made of and trees. There appeared to be stones inside of the little home and a little Entmaiden was resting upon one of them. Treebeard walked up to the little house and cleared his throat. The home had no walls but he did not want to look into it out of politeness.

            "Who is it?" asked the figure within. 

            "We are the Ents," answered Treebeard. "We have come to speak to our Entwives." The figure stood and walked out into the moonlight. 

            "Lightleaf!" cried Greyshroud. Lightleaf jumped. "I should have known. Did you lead all of this?

            "We Entwives have all agreed on this," replied Lightleaf with a wavering voice.

            "You have always been so opinionated, so… so… so _stubborn_!" anger was rising in Greyshroud's voice. "How could you make such a fool of your Ent? Hmph, I let you make a fool of me."Treebeard touched Greyshroud's arm. With a look of sorrow, Greyshroud moved back into the crowd of Ents.

            "Where are the other Entwives?" asked Treebeard. 

            "All around here in these little houses," answered Lightleaf as she moved back into the shadows of her little hut. The Ents all separated, each looking for their Entwife. Sounds of exclamations were heard all around the area. There were cries as Entings were reunited with their fathers. A painful choice would be given them tonight: stay with their mother or leave with their father? In the end, all the lads went with their fathers and all of the maidens went with their mothers. Siblings were separated for the first time in their lives. It was a miserable occasion. This night would not be easily forgotten by them.

            Treebeard was the last to find his Entwife. Wandlimb was in an even smaller house than Lightleaf. As Treebeard approached her house, Wandlimb came running out to him. She wrapped her arms around him and cried. He led her into the little house and they sat down on a stone. "I hate it!" she said as she wiped her cheeks. 

            "I do too," he said patting her leg. "We have decided to let you have your gardens. I will come and visit as often as I can."

            "I know," she said. "I will still miss the time that we spent together. Is there any way you could stay here?" she asked already knowing the answer.

            "No, I have to follow my heart as well as you do."

            "I thought I was your heart."

            "You will always be apart of my heart, but there are other parts as well," he said as he smoothed her hair. Wandlimb turned her head and her cheeks burned. 

            "The forest."

            "Yes, the forest."

            "I have often thought that you loved the forest more than me. You prefer the dances of the trees over your own Entwife." She said and stood.

            "I love the trees in a different way. You know that."

            "Do I?" she said defiantly.

            "Still very stubborn… Hm." With that Treebeard left his Entwife to join the other Ents as they began to leave.  Wandlimb turned and watched him leave. _Leave_? Her Treebeard had left her there. She started to run out after him but then she stopped herself. He said that she could stay. Why shouldn't she? Even as she thought this, tears welled up in her eyes. It will never be the same between the Entwives and the Ents ever again.

                                                 ~          ~          ~

             Treebeard looked back at his Entwife as he started to leave. At first he thought she was looking at him but then realized she was just thinking. She looked so beautiful. At that very moment the sun came up over the treetops. Treebeard hadn't even noticed what time it was. He looked at Wandlimb one more time and saw the sunlight glistening off of her tear covered face. That was the last time he saw her for almost a month.

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Next chapter explains the title…


	5. The Spring Flowers

The Spring Flowers

Darkness had come upon the land, a great darkness in the North. Evil was dominant. The affairs of Man and Elves were of war. Death was in the air. 

Many creatures worked against this darkness. And many creatures were murdered because of it. However, there were those who hid from it. The Ents were some of these creatures. They were tranquil creatures who did not stir easily. This war did not concern them. Though they were friends of the Elves, beautiful immortal creatures of the light, they decided that this war was not their problem. They had their own world.

The Entwives, however, grew anxious. They were nervous. They decided that they must move. They felt unsafe where they were. So they crossed the Great River. They built new gardens. These gardens were more elaborate and beautiful than the last gardens. They built new and better homes.

 It had been many years since the day of separation. The Ents, who only saw their Entwives every month or so, saw even less of them after the move. The Entwives grew angry with the Ents for not coming more often.  The Ents did not spend enough time with them. They were like two different peoples. The Entwives hardened their hearts toward the Ents. So, the Entwives busied themselves by tilling fields. They grew long fields of corn. They became very skilled in their trade. They were so skilled that men came to learn their secrets. Men were a smaller race than the Ents. And more fragile too. They were a little like the Elves but not quite. They were not immortal and they seemed a darker race. However, the Entwives loved the little creatures and the men honored them greatly. 

Wandlimb especially loved the children, the young ones. They were so fragile and so small, like little birds. They would come and visit her when she worked the fields. They were eager to learn and Wandlimb gladly taught them. 

The darkness had passed now. The evil overthrown. The Ents fields flourished. Wandlimb was not working in the fields today, however. It was spring and she was sitting in her flower garden. Her garden was a legend among the Men. She had almost any flower one could think of. It pleased her to sit and name them all. She would often close her eyes and call out the names of flowers that she recognized from their perfume. Because it was spring, Wandlimb had her own flowers growing in her hair. The little peach flowers gave off a sweet sent. She remembered how much Treebeard loved that smell. Her thoughts wandered to him. _I wonder what has become of him. I haven't seen him in so long…_ Wandlimb shook her had as if to throw the thoughts from her. The Ents were only legend now. A whisper lost in the forest. Only the older Entwives could remember much about them.

"What are you thinking about?" asked a little voice. Wandlimb looked down at her feet to see a child. It was Ezreal, a little girl that Wandlimb was very fond of.

"Just… the past," she smiled.

"How far into the past?" the curious girl asked as she gathered a small bouquet of flowers for her mother. Not many people were allowed into Wandlimb's garden, and even less were allowed to pick flowers freely. A bouquet from her garden was a real prize. This child was a favorite of Wandlimb's. She alone could come whenever she wanted. She alone could pick whatever she wanted. Wandlimb never had any Entings of her own and this child became like her own.

"Many, many years ago… the memories are almost like a dream now." She sighed as she picked a purple flower and handed it to the girl.

"I made you this." Said the girl as she handed up to Wandlimb a string full of hand made clay beads. The girl had painted the beads herself with sloppy strokes. "It's a necklace." She said. Wandlimb smiled.

"It is a little too small for a necklace on me." The girl frowned. "Do not worry. I shall wear it as a bracelet." Wandlimb laughed as she slipped it onto her wrist. The girl giggled. "Thank you my dear."

"Wandlimb? What are your flowers for. Why don't flowers grow in my hair?" the always curious girl asked. Wandlimb blushed. The flowers were a part of her reproductive system. When Entwives would make love to their Ents, their hair would intertwine. The Ents did not have flowers but they would still produce a pollen-like substance. If she told the girl this, she would ask more questions. Questions that the girls own mother should answer. 

"The flowers are to… to make me look pretty. You do not have them because you are not an Entwife." 

"Oh," was all that the girl said. Wandlimb sighed.

"Why do _you _ask so many questions?" chuckled Wandlimb as she tickled the girl. Ezreal squealed and began to laugh hysterically. Wandlimb stopped tickling her but the girl still kept on laughing. This only made Wandlimb laugh even harder. When the girl saw Wandlimb laughing she made another squeal and laughed even harder as well. The two laughed until their sides ached and tears ran down their cheeks. Finally Wandlimb regained her composure and wiped the tears from her face. "You're silly," she sighed and touched the girl's cheek. The girl reminded her of her little tree in the clearing back in the forest. The girl gave Wandlimb a hug around her leg.

"I better get home. I've been out too late already, but I had to come and see you before I left."

"Well thank you child but I hope you don't get into any trouble."  Said Wandlimb.

"I won't" said the girl. Wandlimb gave the girl a look. "I won't!" Ezrael said again. 

"You will come visit me on your birthday won't you? I have a special surprise for you." 

"Of course."

"How old will you be?"

"Eight! I can't wait!" exclaimed the excited girl. "Also, mommy says that I can come visit whenever as long as my chores are done."

"Well that is good. Be sure to get your chores done then." The girl smiled and picked up her flowers. As she started to leave Wandlimb handed the girl her favorite little yellow flower. "This is for you." The girl took the flower and smiled again, then she left. Wandlimb sighed again. Her mind began to drift back to Treebeard…

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So what's going on with the Ents?   


	6. Where are the Flowers

Hello everyone. I know it's been awhile. I'm sorry. I've had comp. Prob.

Treebeard walked towards where the Entwives' gardens used to be. He missed his Entwife. Even after all these years and through all his grief, he felt he had made the right decision. 

"The only thing I regret is not being able to see my Wandlimb. How beautiful her garden would be in this warm air." Treebeard muttered to himself. He continued to walk towards the abandoned gardens. Suddenly he came upon the little stream where the gardens once where. The gardens that once grew so grand, where now just a tangled unkempt jumble of mixed flowers and shrubs. No matter how hard Treebeard tried to speak to the little plants, they would refuse to answer. His thoughts drifted back to the past.

After the darkness came the Ents had become even more separated from the Entwives. Through all of the shadow and war he had stayed hidden in his forest. When it was all over and spring had come he walked out to these little gardens, but there was no one there. He had gone to see Wandlimb when she was in her most beautiful time of the year. In spring the Entwives would grow flowers in their hair. It was part of the mating season. 

"Where are all the Entwives? Hmph… where are they? Where have all the flowers gone. Why is my Fimbrethil not here?" He feared the worst. He feared that the war and darkness had taken their lives. He began to cry. He felt that this was all of his fault. After all, it was his discision to leave them all alone in their gardens.

Treebeard slumped to the ground. His eyes closed and he was unaware of space and time. Finally he arose. He was unsure of how long he had been laying there but he felt very stiff. When he looked up there stood a tree he had never seen before. What species it was he could not tell. The tree was shinning with a glow that came from within it. Treebeard reached a hand out to touch the tree. His hand stopped before his fingers came in contact with the bark of the tree. It was like his hand was not his own. "Who are you?" whispered Treebeard. To Treebeard's astonishment, the tree spoke. 

"The Entwives are not here…"

Treebeard could not speak. What kind of tree was this? The voice was not feminine nor was it masculine. It was as if the tree had several voices all speaking together in harmony. 

"The Entwives are not dead either." Treebeard felt relief swell through his body. "They have left the Forest altogether. They left when darkness came. They are in fields far away… in a place filled with man. You will not see them again for a great while." Treebeard's relief again became sorrow. "You must learn to fully appreciate them just as much as they must learn to fully appreciate the Ents. You will be separated for along while still." Treebeard covered his face in his hands and sat down on the ground once again. He knew that the tree spoke the truth. He looked up again to ask the tree where they were. He gasped. The tree was… gone.

I hope you enjoyed. More on the entwives' side of the story next time.


End file.
